


Returning (Home)

by NanixErka



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Child Neglect, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Not Canon Compliant, content warning, ends with fluff, i've been working on this for fucking ever im so happy i finished it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 00:37:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17415632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanixErka/pseuds/NanixErka
Summary: The aftermath of the neutral pacifist run.... Or is it?





	Returning (Home)

**Author's Note:**

> i'm gonna be straight with ya'll i've been writing this fucking thing since December of 2016 and i'm just happy it's done

The king of the underground was wary as he had ever been, staring down at the small, human child. They hadn’t killed anyone, according to Sans, and from the stout skeletons observations, they seemed to just be trying to get out. Sounded standard enough. 

But Undyne's hesitation over the phone with him had left the king with a weight in his chest. 

The humans disturbing similarity to his own dead human child was unnerving enough. But them having made friends? Making his own people happy where he had failed?

But here they were, standing before him. Dirtied, tired, holding a [i]stick[/i]. A stick of all things. Around their waist was a tutu, and in their hair was a faded ribbon. Overdressed? Perhaps, but they had done it nonetheless. He was on his knee, his HP low, his resolve all but crumbled into a heap. 

But the child lowered their weapon, their eyes glassy as they offered their hand. 

“... You will not strike the final blow, child? Do you not wish to return home?” He asked. They just kind of shrugged, not looking at him. He’d have squinted his eyes suspiciously if the tone was lighter. “Well….. If you would like… You are welcome here in the underground… We might not have all that much, compared to the surface, but, perhaps, if I can call my wife here.. We can be like a family” He offered, his weary face finally breaking into a smile. The child reached forward to meet his hand halfway when he felt a sharp pain, and the child let out a panicked squeal

Things went white for a few moments, and he was sure he was dust, before seeing red, and then, nothing.. . .

…. How was he still conscious? 

He was a big monster. A heavy monster. But in this moment, he felt weightless. 

“... King Asgore?” A small voice reached to him. He couldn’t move.. Had nothing [i]to[/i] move. 

“... Yes?” 

The voice let out a sigh of relief “You’re here…” They said. And suddenly Asgore could see. 

Sunset along the mountain. Forests, trees, a city, more mountains

He was… on the surface

The child had absorbed his soul, and he had not lost himself. That was… new. 

“Child… did you?” 

“Flowey did it” They interjected. “He… He killed you.. But before you could disappear I… grabbed your soul and ran…” 

“Well… That was probably wise” he answered. He saw the sights move. The child was headed down the mountain

“Child, are you going home?” 

“... I guess. Got no where else to go” 

Asgore did not say anything after that, just watching the landscape around them change. About an hour into the walk they came across a bus stop, and the child sat.

“... Child..” 

“My name .. is Frisk” They interrupted 

“Ah… well, hello Frisk. Why are we waiting here?” 

“The bus will take us back to the town” they answered. There was nothing in their voice that indicated any happiness, and Asgore's fatherly instinct was throwing red flags all over it. 

“Are you not happy to return home?” He asked

Frisk didn’t answer, getting on the approaching bus and sitting in the back. Asgore decided not to press further, looking through Frisk's eyes at the lovely scenery. He felt like they were doing this for him. He’d voice his gratitude later. 

They got off in a little residential neighborhood. Nice houses, no real signs of harsh times or drama. Asgore found himself further puzzled. Frisk walked up to the door of a yellow home, and opened the door. Apparently this place was safe enough to just leave your door unlocked. 

Inside the house was pristine. No signs of a child even living there. No children's toys, or paintings on the refrigerator. It was like.. No one even lived here. 

“.. Frisk, where are your-” 

“There you are”

Frisk turned around, greeted by a woman who looked a touch too young to be the mother of a 7 year old. 

“You ran off for quite some time, this time around. I nearly thought about calling the police this time” She spoke, walking right past Frisk from the hallway to the coat rack “I’m meeting your father for dinner. There's kid cuisine meals in the fridge. Don’t gorge yourself” Was all the woman said before leaving

… Safe to say Asgore was not pleased

“... Please, please tell me that was not your mother” He practically begs

“.. Then I’d have to lie” Frisk answered, going into the freezer and grabbing a Kung-fu Panda frozen meal. Asgore watched - dumbfounded as Frisk microwaved it, sat at the empty table, and ate it all on their own. 

“Frisk… Your parents…. You were gone for over 3 weeks!” The fatherly king was experiencing heart palpitations despite not really having a corporeal form. 

“ I’ve been gone …. For long periods… “ They sighed a little, throwing away the empty plastic food tray. 

“... And they never look for you?” 

“.. Guess not” Frisk answered. “They’d ask me to play hide and seek and leave me under the table all day” 

Asgore felt a lump in his nonexistent throat as Frisk went upstairs. He watched through their eyes as they washed their hands and looked at themselves in the mirror. They looked so different from how they were in the underground. So… dead eyed… so tired. It amazed him how quickly their expression changed from what he’d seen underground. They almost didn’t seem… like themselves

Frisk moved to their room, a blank, nothing space with a bed, a dresser, and a corkboard filled with A+ papers and letters of recommendation to a boarding school. Asgore just felt so empty, looking about the room. When Frisk shut the door, they sighed deeply and looked out the window. The sun was pretty much set, and the night sky was starting to show a few, sparse stars. They walked over to the window and looked out, resting their head on their crossed forearms as they leaned. 

“... I thought the stars in waterfall were really pretty” They muttered “Never covered by clouds, never distorted by light pollution, just…. The wishes of monsters..” Frisk took in a breath “I wish my wishes could come true like that.. Just.. stuck somewhere where I could see ‘em” 

Asgore wasn’t sure how to respond, and watched as they got into bed and shut their eyes, not even bothering to change clothes. They must have been exhausted… . . . . . . . . . . . .

The vast, open field dream was one that Asgore had often. It usually involved him watching his children play, or his ex-wife pick flowers. Sad, quiet things. 

This dream however, felt different. 

Standing in the field was Frisk, dressed in their outfit from the underground, looking relieved as they sat against a lone tree. Feeling a breeze on him, he walked himself over to the tree, watching the small human as they peeked at him with one eye open

“Nice shirt” They commented. They were smiling

He looked down at his chest, and saw that he was wearing his “Mister Dad Guy” sweater. He smiled

“It is a favorite of mine, yes” He sat down in front of Frisk, making them sit up in interest “Frisk… Tell me… Why did you climb the mountain?” 

“.... Legend says that those who climb the mountain... never return.” They started, looking up at the gently, rolling clouds “I thought that maybe… If I never went back I’d find something better.. And… I did” 

Asgore wasn’t sure how to respond to that last part, and let them keep talking. 

“Everyone down there was so kind to me… Toriel let me call her mom… Papyrus… Undyne.. Alphys…….Sans….. I just…. They all kept pushing me forward… But I…” 

“... Because they kept telling you that you needed to leave, you kept moving forward” 

“.. I just wanted to see what was beyond the door… I would have come back” Frisk curled up into themselves “But she told me that if I left I could never go back… I thought that she didn’t want me…” 

“Now… I highly doubt that” Asgore grumbled out gently. He reached a hand out to Frisk and the child quickly clung to him. “They thought you wanted to leave because that is what all humans want. That's what we’ve always assumed. . .”

“... Sans asked me why I was still going… I think that… He knew” 

“He is a very perceptive skeleton..” He chuckled “.....Child, when you offered your hand to me…”

“I wanted to stay there… I wanted to stay there forever… I was so happy” They admitted “Everyone was so kind and… they didn’t think I was annoying.. Or a burden… or wanted to send me away…..” 

“But because you were a human they assumed that you wanted to leave.. And just kept pushing you that way” He repeated that again, letting that feeling of “uh, duh” taken him over. How could everyone have been so daft? Sans caught on sure but he still didn’t stop them. Maybe he wasn’t sure? Who could ever know

“.... Frisk… Do you want to go back? To the mountain?” 

“... But…. I killed you….” 

“I am not sure how much they would mind. You would have had to do it if you wanted to leave this place”

Frisk furrowed their brow. “... I’m gonna wake up” 

Asgore didn’t get a chance to rebuke before Frisks eyes opened, their cell phone from the underground vibrating. They glanced at the phone

One Missed Call  
One Voice Mail

They clicked the button, and listened

Asgore listened in, moreso because he had no choice, and he heard the voices of his people. Of Sans, Papyrus, Undyne… By the time the message was over he could feel Frisk letting out hiccups, trying to not cry. 

“Frisk…?”

“I… I wanna go home…” They squeaked out, whimpering as they wiped their nose on their sleeve. 

“... Get into something more appropriate, then. We’ve a long day ahead of us” He stated, with a slight Huff of approval. 

There was a brief pause, and Frisk rushed to get dressed. 

When they put on a t-shirt, and over that a thick sweater, with jeans and those ratty sneakers, they looked in a mirror and took a deep breath.

“.... Asgore?” 

“Yes, child?” 

“.... I’m never coming back here” 

The determination in their tone gave Asgore a swell of pride, for whatever reason

“Good” 

And with that, Frisk walked down the stairs

It took a good, long while to get back to the mountain, taking the bus, and then climbing, and climbing, and climbing. Asgore tried his best to not think about just how much Frisk had [i]wanted[/i] this if they climbed this mountain the first time...

But they were just as determined now. He’d focus on that

They stared down the gap in the mountain, and Frisk took in a deep breath 

“Frisk, what are you-”

“MOOOOOOOOOM!!!!” They screamed into the hole, hearing the echo before jumping in! Holding their breath

Safe to say the poor king was alarmed and confused. 

The falling took a little longer than comfortable, but by the time they saw the bottom a familiar purple robe and white paws were them to meet, them, catching them before they hit the ground. 

Toriel looked shocked, staring at the small human in her arms, who looked up at her with wide eyes

“Child, I- I heard you call…. I didn’t believe….” She seemed to want to continue, but Frisk stopped them

“Mom?” They fiddled their hands together, Asgore watching from behind their eyes

“Go on, Frisk, she won’t say no” 

“.... I got past Asgore…. He…..” Frisk looked off “.... But when I got home…. I realized that it wasn’t home” Frisks thoughts felt jumbled, frustratingly hard to vocalize

“...... Toriel….” 

Frisk and Toriel both jumped a bit at the heavy voice, looking behind them  
He was translucent, barely there, but his silhouette was unmistakable. 

“.... Asgore” Toriel murmured, her expression unreadable. 

“..... Frisk never wanted to go… They did not even strike the final blow” He spoke, his voice like chimes on the wind, a bit hard to catch, but definitely there. 

Toriel looked back at Frisk “... Child, then why did you want to leave the ruins?? Did you not tell me you wanted to get home?” 

“.... I asked how to get out, yeah….” 

“... Why?”

“... I dunno… cause you’re a goat monster? What would you want with a human?” 

Toriel Chuckled weakly “Child, you are a lovely and bright little one. Who would not want you around?”

“... Lets not go into that” Asgore said before Frisk could voice their thoughts. 

Toriel gave him a skeptical look, but her gaze returned to Frisk

“So… You wish to stay in the underground?” She asked

They looked up at her nervously “... As long as I’m able to visit my other friends..” 

Toriel looked at Asgore again, who just nodded. Frisk was a bit confused, but assumed it was just some adult silent conversation. Mysterious as always

“... I suppose its time to open those doors for good, hm? I mean…. If Asgore has died then… Who is ruling the people?” 

There was a silence, and Frisk wiggled their way out of Toriel’s grip. 

“.... I want to see Sans and Papyrus now. All this standing here is making me jittery” They bounced a little. Asgore saw the beginnings of a genuine joy blooming in their soul. 

“Oh, uh, alright! You remember how to get through the puzzles?” Toriel barely got to ask as Frisk made a beeline for the entrance to the ruins from the bed of flowers. She sighed, and turned to Asgore “..... We have much to discuss” 

“ We do.. But seeing as i was absorbed by Frisk, i imagine i won’t be here m u c h l o n g e r ”

She watched in bewilderment as he faded off. 

The former queen sighed deeply, a smile reaching her face before she turned to leave the alcove, flowers swaying slightly by her motion

**Author's Note:**

> Bother me over at Doodleimprovement on tumblr! 
> 
> or wiltingdaisy94 on twitter!


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